Bench plane cutter



April 9, 1963 s. H. MCAFEE BENCH PLANE CUTTER Filed June 25, 1960 e m m M H l 1N VENTOR.

3,084,729 BENCH PLANE (IUTTER Samuel H. McAfee, 99% River Road, Newport News, Va- Filed June 23, 1969, Ser. No. 38,172 1 Claim. (Cl. 145-17) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in bench plane cutters and has for its primary object to provide in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device of this character comprising a removable blade which, when it becomes dull or damaged, may be economically discarded and replaced with a new blade, thus eliminating the usual laborious, time-consuming sharpening operation.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a bench plane cutter of the aforementioned character comprising novel means for firmly securing the disposable blade on the plane iron or plate.

Still another very important object of the invention is to provide a cutter of the character described which may be expeditiously mounted for use in a conventional bench plane and which, further eliminates the usual cutter cap thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bench plane cutter of the character set forth which embodies a novel construction and arrangement of parts whereby vibration is avoided and a smooth, uniform surface ensured.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an improved bench plane cutter which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, compact, of light weight, and which may be manufactured at low cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in side elevation of a bench plane with a portion thereof broken away in section to show mounted therein a cutter constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the device;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view;

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is a bottom perspective View of the disposable blade.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that reference character 6 designates generally a bench plane comprising the usual stock 7 having the transversely extending blade opening or slot 8 therein, a handle 9, knob 10, etc.

The embodiment of the present invention which has been illustrated comprises a blade holder including an elongated plate 11 of suitable metal. The plate 11 is adapted to be mounted in the usual manner on the frog of the plane 6. Toward this end, the plate 11 has formed therein at an intermediate point a longitudinally elongated opening or slot 12 which accommodates the clamp retaining screw 13 of the plane 6.

The plate 11 includes a raised, thickened forward end portion 14 having formed in its underside a transversely extending rabbet or recess 15 providing a shoulder 16. Removably mounted in the rabbet or recess 15 is a disposable blade 17 comprising a beveled and honed forwardly projecting cutting edge 18. The blade 17 has formed therein openings 29 which receive countersunk screws 19 for removably securing said blade on the plate 11. Threaded openings 28 in the portion 14 of the plate 11 receive the screws 19.

Adjacecnt its rear end, the plate 11 further includes a thickened, raised portion 21 providing a bearing for dfib ifizii Patented Apr. 9, 1%63 the thumb piece or lever cam 22 on the clamp 23 of the plane 6. The raised portion or bearing 21 of the plate 11 has formed therebeneath a longitudinally elongated recess 24 which receives the lateral adjusting lever 27 of the plane 6. Forwardly of the recess 24, the plate 11 is further provided with a rectangular opening 26 which receives the usual adjusting fork 25 of the plane 6.

It is thought that the use of the invention will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, with the blade 17 secured thereon, the plate 11 is mounted on the usual frog of the plane 6 with the cutting edge 18 of said blade 17 projecting through the slot 8. With the fork 25 engaged in the opening 26 and the lateral adjusting lever 27 engaged in the recess 24, the clamp 23 of the plane 6 is mounted in the usual manner on the screw 13, said clamp resting on the plate 11. It will thus be seen that the usual plane cutter cap has been omitted. The forward end portion of the clamp 23 rests :on the raised forward end portion 14 of the plate 11 adjacent the rounded forward end 28 of said plate. The slot 12 and the recess 24 are elongated to permit longitudinal adjustment of the plate 11 by the fork 25. The thumb piece or lever cam 22 of the plane 6 is then swung downwardly to operative position on the hearing 21 as shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawing for tightening the clamp 23 on the cutter. Of course, to remove the cutter the foregoing procedure is substantially reversed. The rounded forward end portion 28 of the raised thickened portion 14 of the plate 11 extends closely adjacent the cutting edge 13 of the blade 17 and breaks the fibers of the wood close to said cutting edge thus producing a smooth, uniform surface. The holder or plate 7 may be manufactured with a suitable forming and piercing die (not shown) or by a suitable method of die casting. The construction and arrangement also is such as to prevent vibration. While the cutter has been illustrated and described in connection with a bench plane, it will be understood, of course, that it may be used on any other type of plane for which it may be found adapted.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications land equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A bench plane cutter comprising an elongated plate for mounting on a frog of a bench plane, said plate including raised, thickened front and rear end portions, said raised front end portion arranged for receiving thereon the forward end of the clamp of'the plane, said raised rear end portion arranged for receiving thereon the thumb piece of the clamp, said plate having therein beneath the raised rear end portion thereof a longitudinally elongated recess for receiving the lateral adjusting lever of the plane, said plate still further having therein forwardly of said recess an opening for receiving the adjusting fork of the plane, said thickened forward end portion of said plate having formed therebeneath a transversely extending rabbet providing a shoulder, and a removable blade mounted in the rabbet in abutting engagement with the shoulder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 145,311 Quast Dec. 9, 1873 1,726,124 Rodionoff Aug. 27, 1929 2,191,679 OByrne Feb. 27, 1940 3,028,892 Filia Apr. 10, 1962 

